The Mystery Kids: Brightest Star
by Misty Dawn Tomorrow
Summary: After an ambush attack by an unknown magic user, Mabel is left blinded. The other Mystery Kids try to help her, but as time goes on and disagreements grow, Mabel finds herself looking for comfort in the last boy in Gravity Falls she ever thought she would. (On Hiatus)
1. Accident

It was just supposed to be an easy trek through the forest. They were just supposed to get the ingredients, and get out. They hadn't even felt the need to bring everyone with them. They weren't expecting an ambush. And they certainly weren't expecting this.

"How... how could I have let this happen? I-I was right there. I-I could have-"

"Wybie, this isn't your fault, and you know it!" Coraline looked over to Mabel's still form. Breathing, but completely unconsious.

"She's right, it's my fault." Raz sat down on a log, wincing in pain. Yep, probably a broken rib. "I should have been looking out for her."

"It's nobody's fault! It was an accident." Coraline limped over to Mabel and propped her up, getting the unconscious girl to her feet. "It could have happend to any of us. We just have to be more prepared next time." She looked Mabel over. "Hm, there doesn't seem to be any injuries. Did anyone see what happened?"

Wybie looked up. "That... that sorcerer... wizard... whatever he was... he just... levitated her. He-he muttered s-some kind of chant, and threw her on the ground. I... she didn't get back up. I...I'm sorry. I-I don't know what he said."

"Well, whoever he is, he just messed with the wrong team." Raz looked to Coraline. "What's the next course of action, Cap?"

Coraline glanced at Mabel one last time before meeting Raz's gaze. "We need to get back to the Mystery Shack. The others need to know about this."

 **Later...**

"How could this guy have gotten past the radar? Why would he attack now? Who is he?! What has he done to Mabel?! I shouldn't have let you guys go alone! I should have kept her here! No, we should have all gone... Why is she still unconsious!"

They had filled him in on the accident when they got back to the shack a while ago, and Dipper hadn't stopped ranting since. Coraline was getting mixed signals as to who the anger was directed to. Honestly, she didn't care.

Wybie sat in a corner, not meeting anyone's gaze. Raz was sitting on the couch with his chest in a cast. Lili seemed to have completely tuned Dipper out, humming quietly to a plant on the other side of the room. Norman watched Dipper pace around, concerned. Neil sat by Mabel, waiting for her to wake up.

Little did they know just how deep the damage was done.


	2. Darkness

Mabel felt herself slowly gaining consciousness, her head pounding, and her brother's voice shouting through the haze.

"She's waking up!" Neil called out, the pounding in Mabel's head getting worse.

Mabel opened her eyes... it was dark. Like, pitch black dark. She closed her eyes, then opened them again. Darkness. She closed her eyes once more.

"Mabel! Mabel, can you here me!" Dipper practically shouted.

"Ugh... yeah, I can here you loud and clear. Can you stop shouting for a little bit? My head hurts."

"Oh, yeah, sorry."

The aching in her head started to fade, and she opened her eyes again. It was still as dark as night. "Wow, I must have been out a while. Could you turn on the lights, though? I can't see a thing."

She heard Norman's voice. "Uh, Mabel... the lights are on."

"W...what?" Mabel attempted to sit up, her eyes darting around, but seeing nothing. Everything was just an inky black. "Guys... your joking, right?" Someone was crying, she couldn't tell who. "You guys, please tell me you're joking!" No, they wouldn't be that cruel. Even Lili wasn't that cruel.

Wybie's voice rang out in the deafening silence. "She... She's blind."

 _Mabel felt herself levitate off the ground, the old man glaring daggers at her. She felt pressure on her throat. He was choking her._

 _You should have stayed out of my way, shooting star._

 ** _From the darkest depths and blackest night,_**

 _ **I rid your world of color and light!**_

 _Wybie shouted something unintelligible, and intense pain shot through her. Her eyes slid shut, then... Darkness._


	3. Grunkles Know Best

Stanford Pines crossed over to the soup isle, trying to find inexpensive, but halfway healthy foods that could feed a small army. Feeding 10 people under one roof didn't come cheap. Although knowing Stanley, he would find a way to minimize the costs... whether or not it was legal.

Ford picked up a can of beef and noodle soup. As he looked over it's contents, Stan ran up to him with a rifle in his hands. "Hey, Poindexter, check this baby out."

Ford took one look at the rifle. "No, Stanley, we are not getting another gun."

"Why not?"

"Because you already own twelve!"

"Yeah, but this one's got a ni-" Stan's phone went off, interrupting him. "This isn't over." He picked up the phone.

"Oh, hey, Dipper. Whoa, slow down, kid, I can't understand a word you're saying. Yeah, he's with me, Dipper what is this abo- hey, calm down, I'm listening. ...Wait... what?" Stan's expression turned from annoyed to anxiously scared in a a split second. "We'll... we'll be right there, just... hold on, okay... everything's going to be okay." Stan hung up the phone and gave his twin a worried expression.

"Stanley... What's wrong?"

"We need to get to the Shack, now."

"Why? What's going on, Stanley?"

"It's Mabel."

 ** _Later..._** Mabel had locked herelf in her and her brother's room. She collapsed on the bed, nearly hitting her head in the process. Finding her way around had been a struggle. She tripped over her own feet walking up the stairs. She never realized just how much she relied on her sight. To sew. To scrapbook. Even getting around was now going to be a challenge.

She could hear them shouting downstairs. It was difficult to make out, but quite apparent. If she knew her friends, Raz and Wybie were going to play the "This is all my fault" card, Coraline will try to maintain order the only way she knows how, by dominating the conversation. Which didn't seem to be working. Lili would be in her own little world, possibly trying to come up with a solution without saying anything. Neil and Norman would be trying to keep the peace (again, they seem to be failing), and Dipper... Dipper would be at the head of the shouting match, trying to get every single detail, trying to fix her sight.

 _I can't see. What good am I if I can't see? It's a big part of who I am. If I can't be the creative one, then what good am I to the team?_

A knock sounded on her door. She didn't even notice that the shouting match had stopped.

"Hey, pumpkin, can I come in?" Her Grunkle Stan asked, muffled from behind the door.

"Sure, Grunkle Stan."

The sound of keys jingling and a turning of the door knob filled her ears, and footsteps approached her. She wasn't sure, but she thought she heard two sets of feet.

Stan looked at his great neice, who was usually so bubbly and cheerful, but now had an unwavering neutral frown on her face, her eyes empty of the light that usually danced beind them. He sighed, and awkwardly rubbed the back of his head. "So, uh, are you doing okay?"

Mabel sighed. "I've been better." She tilted her head in thought. "Did someone else come with you?"

"Yeah, it's me, Mabel." Ford didn't know Mabel as well as Stan did. He always found more to bond over with Dipper, and he wasn't around much the previous summer to get to know her that well. But if she was anything like his own twin, Mabel was currently wearing a mask to disguise her emotions. And if he knew Mabel at all, that wasn't normal.

"Oh, hey Grunkle Ford. How have you been?" Mabel could hear her own voice cracking with emotion.

"I've been fine. Right now we're worried about you. How are you feeling?"

That simple sentence did it. Mabel could feel her weak, inexperienced wall crumbling. She couldn't see their faces, but she turned her head and looked up in the direction that she thought they were.

"I'm... I'm really scared." She could feel her tears prick her eyes, and her throat tighten. "I... I don't like this! I... I wanna see you guys! I wanna see everything!" The tears came rushing down, but she didn't care. "I feel so helpless, I feel so useless! What good am I if I can't see?"

She was sobbing now. Stan quickly pulled her into a tight, comforting hug. "There, there, pumpkin. It's okay. I know, just let it out." Mabel continued crying into her Grunkle Stan's shoulder, while Ford tried to think of a way to help her. It wasn't long before he had an idea, but kept quiet. Eventually, her crying ceased, and Ford cleared his throat.

"You know, Mabel, maybe this isn't such a bad thing." He felt her gaze aim at him, even though in reality she was staring at a goofball to his right.

"Wha...what do you mean?"

Ford knelt down beside her. "Close your eyes for me, alright?" She did as she was told. "What do you see?"

Mabel actually let out something that sounded like a bitter scoff. "Nothing. No different than if my eyes were open."

Ford continued, regardless. "Exactly. Now forget your sight. Forget all of that. What do you hear?"

Mabel listened intently. A new wave of sounds filled her ears. "I hear... Birds, chirping outside... Dipper's markers squeaking across the dry erase board next door..." Mabel chuckled. "Waddles snoring downstairs..." Mabel opened her eyes. "Wow."

Ford nodded until he remembered the problem with that. "Good. Okay, now what do you smell?

Mabel took a deep breath through her nose, before she crinkled it in disgust. "Just Dipper's dirty laundry."

Stan and Ford both laughed, and Mabel joined in too.

Ford smiled. "See, Mabel? You don't need your sight to be useful. You'll be just fine."

Mabel nodded and gave him a smile. "Thanks you guys. I needed that."

Stan got back up and headed downstairs. "So, who wants pizza for dinner?"


End file.
